21 questions

Anna Chlumsky Does Not Shower in the Park

Photo: Courtesy

Name: Anna Chlumsky 
Age: 32 
Neighborhood: Bushwick 
Occupation: Actress, currently in Veep on HBO. Tomorrow, May 22, you can catch her telling tales of romance and disaster alongside Wyatt Cenac, Michael Ian Black, Simon Rich, and more at Symphony Space’s Selected Shorts
 
Who’s your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?
Stephen Sondheim. 

What’s the best meal you’ve eaten in New York?
Lapin á la moutarde at Lucien at three o’clock in the afternoon on a snowy January day. I was in my twenties, on my own, and indulging a whim. And, boy, did it pay off.  
 
In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
I tell stories by playing people in them. 
 
What was your first job in New York?
Research assistant (read: fact-checker) at Zagat. I needed a job out of college, they hired me, and I thought there’d be food writing (no such luck). 
 
What’s the last thing you saw on Broadway?
Orphans

 
Do you give money to panhandlers?
Nope. Just buskers — the good ones. 
 
What’s your drink?
Campari and soda. 
 
How often do you prepare your own meals?
Three to five days a week. My dad’s a chef, and I grew up in his kitchen. 
 
What’s your favorite medication?
Wellness Formula — but I’m not sure if that counts as a medication. 
 
What’s hanging above your sofa?
Nada. We’ve got windows there. :) 
 
How much is too much to spend on a haircut?
$200. 
 
When’s bedtime?
11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. 
 
Which do you prefer, the old Times Square or the new Times Square?
New. Wasn’t here for the old. 
 
What do you think of Donald Trump?
Man likes gold. Doesn’t he have a golden toilet? 
 
What do you hate most about living in New York?
Cabs who complain about going to Brooklyn. 
 
Who is your mortal enemy?
Screwtape. 
 
When’s the last time you drove a car?
March 24 in Baltimore. 
 
How has the Wall Street crash affected you?
Honestly, I became a bit of a counselor to friends who all of a sudden had no job security. I was like, “Job security? Just pretend you’re an actor and you’ll get through this. I promise it’s possible.” 
 
Times, Post, or Daily News?
Times

 
Where do you go to be alone?
The shower. The park. Not at the same time. 
 
What makes someone a New Yorker?
Asking a friend what they pay for rent with absolutely no shame.